Kate Mara in GQ March 2014

On "House of Cards":

"[The] dials were really high in the first season. Beau Williams [the show's creator] has a very big imagination. And he and our writing staff, I think really pulled through this season. Because it's hard to top all the things that happened last season. Last year, before Season 1 came out, I had seen all the episodes; this year I haven't, so I'm just as excited to watch it like anyone else. Still, I think it's just as surprising and addictive. Hopefully, we'll see."

On her character Zoe:

"I didn't shadow anyone. Any questions I had I went to Beau. But being a journalist wasn't the most important thing for me. That was just her job - it could be anything. The most important aspect of Zoe that I felt I needed to understand and wrap my hear around was her crazy drive and ambition. Sitting around with Beau and Fincher and Kevin, just setting the backstories - that's where I got all of my information."

On not appearing as much this season:

"I mean, I’m sure Kevin has to, because he’s in almost every scene. But for everyone else, it’s very different. I don’t shoot every day. I actually shot 'Transcendence' while I was shooting 'House of Cards.' So I wasn’t even in Baltimore the whole time. I was in New Mexico."